


The Day The Simpson Died.

by Madeline69



Category: The Simpsons
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-24 16:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18167609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madeline69/pseuds/Madeline69
Summary: Bart has to cope with the loss of a family member.





	The Day The Simpson Died.

INT. A garage. an intricately painted 1967 Chevy Impala hovers above the ground. Below it, a man on his back on a green skateboard performs repairs. Somewhere nearby a phone rings. The man hits his head on his way out from under the car.

 

BART

Doh!

 

Bart Simpson - who appears to be in his mid-30s - rolls out from under the car and retrieves a futuristic looking cell phone from his workbench. The touch screen is cracked and slightly dirty. The call display reads “Lis.” Bart picks up the phone.

 

BART

Hey Lis! How’s it hangin’

 

LISA (Somber)

Bart. I need to see you. Are you at your shop?

 

BART (a little worried)

Yeah, is everything alright?

 

Lisa hangs up the phone without responding. Bart shrugs and tosses the phone back down on the workbench. Taking a long, satisfied look at the car he’s been working on, he decides it’s time for a break. He throws himself down on a nearby couch and flicks on his TV. The itchy and scratchy show is playing. Bart zones out.

 

He’s broken from his daze by the loud rattling of his garage door being lifted. Standing there with puffy eyes is Lisa. Bart shuts the TV off and gets up to move towards his sister.

 

BART

Hey, what’s the matter?

 

Lisa walks further into the garage, her eyes unfocused. She lets the door drop behind her.

 

BART

I told you it’s okay if you can’t come to my barbeque next Friday dude.

 

LISA

It’s - It’s dad.

 

BART

Oh jeez Lis, I told you I’m done bailing Homer out.

 

LISA

He’s gone.

 

BART

Gone?

 

LISA (choking up)

Dead, Bart.

 

Bart is bewildered. In a daze, he walks forward to comfort his sister. He wraps his arms around Lisa, all the while with a confused expression on his face. 

* * *

 

SMASH CUT - INT. The Simpsons Home. Marge is sitting on the couch, weeping openly. Maggie, who is in her mid/late 20s is sitting next to her, comforting her mother. Bart - still bewildered - is wandering the house. He goes into the fridge. Half of a six-pack of Non-Alcoholic Duff is sitting there next to a box of baking soda and a donut box with two donuts left in it. Bart Grabs the box. Lisa enters.

 

LISA

Hey.

 

Bart opens the box and throws one of the donuts to Lisa, keeping the other for himself.

 

BART

Hey.

 

LISA

This is pretty rough for you huh?

 

BART

Nah.

 

LISA

Mom finished crying about Homer this morning. She’s crying because she can see how much this is affecting you. You should talk to her.

 

BART

And tell her what? That I’m not upset because Homer and I never loved each other?

 

LISA (Stern)

Then just let her talk to you Bart.

 

BART

I don’t need you telling me how to feel about this Lis.

 

LISA

I know you don’t Bart. I know exactly how you feel about this, and -

 

Bart storms out and stomps up to his childhood bedroom. He sits down on his bed and looks out the window. Outside, Rod Flanders sits with his husband and his father, talking and laughing. Bart takes a deep breath and hangs his head. From behind him, Marge appears in the doorway.

 

MARGE (voice slightly cracked, both with age and the stress of the day)

Hey special man.

 

BART

Hey mom.

 

Marge crosses the room and sits down next to him.

 

BART

I’m sorry.

 

Marge leans up against her son. She seems small next to him.

 

MARGE

You feel like you should grieve the same way as the rest of us, don’t you?

 

Bart nods. Marge sighs deeply.

 

MARGE

Well, the truth is Bart, none of us really had the same relationship with your father as you did. Your father never laid hands on your sisters or me, and so it’s hard because we all seem like we miss him so much, and you can’t find a way to feel like that. Is that right?

 

Bart nods, tearing up slightly. 

* * *

 

FADE THROUGH BLACK - EXT. First Church of Springfield. It’s the dead of winter, and about a half foot of snow is on the ground. Bart is standing on the porch, smoking. Ned Flanders is being led up the steps by his two sons.

 

NED

Now hold on just a second there boys. I’m sensin’ a Simpson.

 

BART

Hey Ned.

 

NED

Hey Bart.

 

Bart sits down on the church steps and Ned follows suit.

 

NED

Boys, I figure I can find my own way inside. How about you go and see if there are any other Simpsons in need of some conversating.

 

Rod and Todd pat their father on the back before entering the church together.

 

NED

How are you feeling Bart?

 

BART

I could really use a hot cocoa right about now.

 

NED

Well, I hate to say but my supply is bone dry neighbor.

 

Bart chuckles at this. There’s a short pause.

 

BART

Do we have to talk?

 

NED

Y’know I was just thinking the same thing.

 

* * *

 

SMASH CUT - INT. First Church of Springfield. A coffin sits on a table with a floral wreath and a portrait of Homer nearby. Maggie has just finished her speech, takes a slight bow, and then goes down to sit next to her mother. Bart stands from the pew and walks up to the pedestal. There’s a long pause. In his hands, Bart fiddles with a printed out article titled “How to write a funeral speech for your father.” He takes a deep breath and puts it down. He looks out into the crowd.

 

BART

I don’t get it. [beat] I look around me and I see at least a hundred people who loved Homer. I see friends and co-workers and family, and I don’t get it. [beat] Homer was a terrible father. He was bigoted and dispassionate and abusive and only after he had crossed line after line after line he would pretend to be sorry so we would all think he’s just some loveable doofus.

 

Bart steps out from behind the podium and raises his arms.

 

BART

What did you all know about him that I didn’t? Who was Homer Simpson? Because the man I knew would have been lucky to have the furnace oven guy show up at his cremation!

 

Bart is seething with anger at this point.

 

BART

Well!? Who was Homer Simpson!?

 

Bart’s rage falls. He takes a deep shaking breath, then turns and kicks the coffin where Homer’s body lies. The crowd gasps. Bart kicks again with a hollow thunk. Marge starts to get up from her spot but is restrained by Maggie. Lisa gets up instead and starts to cross the church. Bart kicks again. The coffin falls off of the table with a loud crack.

 

BART

Homer Simpson ruined the first 15 years of my life! Then he ruined the next 15, and I’m betting he’s going to ruin every year after that, and I’ll never get to tell him how badly he hurt me.

 

Lisa reaches Bart and takes her brother into her arms, leading him out of the church.

 

Reverend Lovejoy takes the stage as Barney, Carl, Lenny and Moe attempt to right the coffin.

 

LOVEJOY

Well, folks, that’s going to, unfortunately, be the end of our ceremony today. Someone will communicate to you when we’ll be doing the actual burying as that has clearly just changed.

 

FADE - EXT. Springfield Gorge. Bart is sitting on the edge, kicking his feet. Lisa walks up behind him.

 

LISA

I liked your speech.

 

Bart lets out a snort of laughter.

 

BART

Yeah? Which part was your favourite?

 

Lisa doesn’t respond to this.

 

LISA

Y’know Bart. Everyone at that funeral got something from dad.

 

Bart rolls his eyes.

 

LISA

It’s true. Carl and Lenny had a friend, Moe had a customer, Mister Burns had an employee, Mom had a husband, me and Maggie had a dad.

 

BART

Oh yeah? And what did I get?

 

LISA

Maybe what you got was an example. An example of what kind of person you never wanted to be. Nothing you said about Homer was wrong, but nobody could say the same things about you.

 

BART

I’m a mechanic who lives in his garage Lis, I’d say I’m pretty much a failure by anyone’s standards.

 

LISA

Maybe. But you’re not a terrible father.

 

Bart Scoffs.

 

BART

Yet.

 

LISA

No Bart you don’t get it. All your life you’ve been afraid of turning into him, but look at yourself. You’re not ‘bigoted or dispassionate or abusive.’ You know you crossed the line today because - for the first time in a long time - you let your anger get the better of you. Some might even say rightfully so. Dad wanted everyone to think a certain way about him, but if anyone is a loveable doofus it's you.

 

Bart pauses, then nods.

 

BART

How much do I owe you for the coffin?

 

LISA

Maggie agreed to buy a new one.

 

BART

Is she mad?

 

LISA

No, she understands that dad had time to fuck up twice before getting to her.

 

BART

Cool.

 

The sun begins to set ahead of them. They watch. 

* * *

FADE THROUGH WHITE. EXT. A rainy day, Bart Stands alone in an empty graveyard looking through texts on his phone while Candle in the Wind by Elton John plays softly in the background. The texts on Bart’s phone read:

 

LISA: Bart! You're missing the service. L.

ME: u dont have 2 sign ur texts w/ L. I have ur contact.

LISA: What’re you gonna do about it? :p. L.

LISA: Anyway you better get your ass over here they’re about to lower his casket. L.

ME: im gonna pass.

LISA: Oh. L.

LISA: Okay. L.

LISA: I love you Bart. L.

ME: love you too Lis.

 

Bart looks up from his phone at the grave in front of him.

 

It reads:

Here lies Homer J. Simpson

Father & Husband

Survived by many

 

Bart takes a donut out of a paper bag that he’s carrying and takes a bite before dropping the rest in front of Homer’s grave.

 

BART

Smell you later Homer.

 

♫And it seems to me♫

♫You lived your life♫

♫Like a candle in the wind♫

♫Never knowing who to cling to♫

♫When the rain came in♫

♫And I would have liked to know you♫

♫But I was just a kid.♫

♫And your candle burned out long♫

♫Before the legend ever did♫

Credits.

 


End file.
